Army and Navy Acquisitions
The ship was taken over by the Army Transport Service on 11 January 1942 as USAT Ancon. She made two voyages to Australia carrying Army Air Corps units and elements of the 32nd Infantry Division to bolster that continent's defenses; the first voyage left on 31 January 1942 headed for Brisbane, Australia from San Francisco, the second left San Francisco on 23 April 1942 bound for Adelaide and Sydney. She returned to San Francisco 18 June 1942 and was acquired by the Navy on 7 August 1942 and placed in commission at the Boston Navy Yard as Ancon (AP-66) on 12 August 1942, Lt. Comdr. D. H. Swinson in command.
According to the notes of Edgar Roy Cochrun, Chaplain, United States Army, who had boarded the ship on 20 April, the Ancon departed San Francisco on its second voyage to Australia at 5:55 p.m. on Wednesday, 22 April 1942, and not on 23 April.
Following her commissioning, Ancon underwent a month's work at Boston, being converted for naval service. On 12 September, she got underway for the Virginia Capes and, on arrival at Norfolk took on cargo and troops to transport to Baltimore, Maryland. She reached Baltimore on 6 October and disembarked her passengers. She then conducted trials and exercises in the Chesapeake Bay. After pausing at Norfolk to take on more troops and equipment, she left the East Coast on 24 October, sailing for North Africa as a member of Transport Division 9, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.
Read more about this topic: USS Ancon (AGC-4)
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